Badi Sem / Horse Bean
Canavalia gladiata
Also known as Jack Bean, Sword Bean, Broad Bean, Patagonian Bean
- Habit
- Climbing shrub
- Found in India
- Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka & more
- Flowering
- July-April
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Canavalia gladiata
- Genus
- Canavalia
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Habit
- Climbing shrub
- Habitat
- Deciduous forests
- Habitat type
- Forest
- Native to
- Old world tropics
- Distribution
- Pantropical
- Found in India
- Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttarakhand
- Flowering & fruiting
- July-April
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Arrangement
- Alternate
Typical of the Fabaceae family — a field-mark hint, not measured for this exact species.
Flower & fruit characters
Typical of the Fabaceae family — flowering plants only; individual species can differ.
Local Names
- Hindi
- Khadsampal, बड़ी सेम Badi sem
- Bengali
- Makhan shim
- Tamil
- Segapputampattai, வாள் அவரை, கத்தி அவரை
- Telugu
- తంబకాయ
- Kannada
- ತುಂಬೆಕೊಂಟಿ Tumbekonti, ಶಂಬಿ Shambi, ಸಂಬೆ Sambe
- Malayalam
- Valpayar, Valaringha, വാളമര
- Marathi
- अबई Abai
Badi Sem in India
This climbing legume, known as Khadsampal (Hindi), Segapputampattai (Tamil), తంబకాయ (Telugu), ತುಂಬೆಕೊಂಟಿ Tumbekonti (Kannada), Valpayar (Malayalam), अबई Abai (Marathi), is grown for its unusually large pods. Canavalia gladiata is cultivated across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, typically trained up stakes or fences.
Uses
Its young, tender pods are cooked as a vegetable after proper preparation, while mature seeds require thorough cooking to reduce natural toxins before eating.
How to Identify Badi Sem
A vigorous climbing vine with trifoliate leaves. Clusters of large, pale purple-pink pea-like flowers are followed by the plant's standout feature: very large, flat, sword-shaped pods that can reach a substantial length, containing large seeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Horse bean called in different Indian languages?
- Khadsampal (Hindi); Segapputampattai (Tamil); తంబకాయ (Telugu); ತುಂಬೆಕೊಂಟಿ Tumbekonti (Kannada); Valpayar (Malayalam); अबई Abai (Marathi); Makhan shim (Bengali).
- Why is it called 'sword bean'?
- Its pods are unusually long, flat and blade-like compared to most beans, resembling a sword — the source of both its English and Hindi ('badi sem', meaning 'big bean') common names.
- Can the beans be eaten raw?
- No — like several Canavalia species, the mature seeds contain natural compounds that need to be broken down by thorough cooking before they're safe to eat.
Fabaceae
Legume/Bean family
Badi Sem belongs to the Fabaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
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Common plant problems
All plant problem & care guides →More in Fabaceae
View all Fabaceae →Sources: GBIF — Canavalia gladiata (India distribution & vernacular names) (CC BY 4.0) · Wikipedia — Canavalia gladiata (background/comprehension only) (CC BY-SA 4.0)